'We Media' and Democratic Media

5 downloads 27730 Views 1MB Size Report
A good term… • Temporary Autonomous Zones (TAZ). • Phrase created by theorist Hakim Bey to describe 'free spaces' where normal mainstream rules don't  ...
We-Media and Collective Identity in the Pre-Digital Age

Is ‘We-Media’ possible without digital technology and the internet?

How can we answer this? Looking at subcultures and trying to identify similar patterns of • • • • •

consumption production Distribution Marketing and exchange.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GC hP1uzjZnE

Islington Squatter Punk Documentary YouTube

What are the similarities between punk and hip hop subcultures?

Consumption • Audiences consume at live, social events (reinforces collective identity of marginalised groups) • ‘Mixtapes’ and bootlegs of live performances so music can spread beyond one location • Fanzines encourage sense of solidarity

PRODUCTION Non-professionals creating their own music (and fashion, choreography, press).

Distribution • Live shows or block parties attract audience to social events • Mixtapes, bootlegs – and fashion, art, fanzines – sold at events. • Not controlled by traditional music institutions (yet)

Marketing • Word of mouth (intensifies sense of community) • Fanzines review and recommend music

What do all these subcultures have in common?

A good term… • Temporary Autonomous Zones (TAZ) • Phrase created by theorist Hakim Bey to describe ‘free spaces’ where normal mainstream rules don’t apply • Fans can be united by their love of a specific type of media (music, film, TV show) ignored/disapproved of by the mainstream • They then form their TAZ to gather, socialise, exchange their own DIY media. Choose one subculture – how did they form a TAZ?

Further Reading • Clay Shirky: ‘Here Comes Everybody’ or his website: http://www.shirky.com/ • Charles Leadbetter: ‘We-Think’ http://www.wethinkthebook.net/home.aspx • Henry Jenkins ‘Textual Pochers’ http://henryjenkins.org/ • Dick Hebdige ‘Subculture: the meaning of style’ • Simon Reynolds ‘Energy Flash: a journey through rave music and dance culture’